The Heart Grows Fonder
by forsillyfools
Summary: "...and you remember, you're only your very best when you're with her." For rjjg14, for the Artinathon 2010 fic exchange.
1. Part I

Disclaimer : Glee doesn't belong to me, no copyright infringement intended.

AN : It started out as this cute little drabble thing and it took on a life of its own. There are some issues brought up, things that I've noticed/experienced from very close friends during first year though I have to apologize for any discrepancies I make with dorm life - I write that with no personal experience :| And yes, you read right, that does say Part I! There's a reason this fic took sooooo long to be posted but it will all be done by the 10th my dears!

For **rjjg14**, for the Artinathon 2010 fic exchange. [[Prompt - Artie and Tina having a long-distance relationship in college. (e.g. Tina goes to college in NY, while Artie goes in California) something like that. :) ]]

* * *

**The Heart Grows Fonder**

(Part I - Artie)

_i fear_

_no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want_

_no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)_

_and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant_

_and whatever a sun will always sing is you_

**_i carry your heart, ee cummings_**

—

It begins where it ends.

You apply to three post-secondary institutions. They're all in Ohio - and it's not just because your parents freaked over the idea of you moving so far from home - but that's okay, you get it even if you hate to admit it. You're accepted to all three but the unfinished application that sits under the music sheets in your guitar case, that's the one that really matters. Granted, by the time you can even consider mailing it away, it'll be very likely outdated but you can't help being sentimental about such an important dream.

It's_ the one you can make come true._

When you call your girlfriend excitedly and let her know which school you've chosen (Go Buckeyes!), she sounds genuinely happy for you and in that manner of speaking and being that she just has, you feel like you've just won the lottery.

So it feels like someone just punched you and jacked your winning ticket when she whispers she'll be attending school in Washington.

—

"Washington? I don't... that's the other end of the country."

_It__'s a really good school. It's, um, ranked pretty high internationally and you know how much I love Seattle. I have family there already and my parents say-_

"Your parents? Are you doing this because of your parents?"

_Artie-don__'t. You know they're not like that, it's not them. I want to go there. It's pretty competitive and... I mean, it's not Rhode Island or even New York but that's okay. Besides, I'm - I really want to do this Psychology thing. _

"You only thought of that after watching 50 First Dates last summer! I thought you wanted-"

_To go to art school? I only sent out one because I was having second thoughts about it, I told you that. And I__'m glad I didn't set myself up for too much rejection. I wasn't accepted. But you know what? That's fine because there's this door that's opened up for me that I really want to pursue. I know what I want, Artie, I always have but I think this is what I need. _

"But I thought you needed me."

—

It's a bittersweet way to end your high school run. You both have the time of your lives at prom and you all, as in the whole glee club of yore, cling to each other at grad. Tina holds your hand through all the diplomas but by the time they get to Brittany, you completely miss her name being called out because your girlfriend is making every effort not to begin sobbing outright.

You squeeze her hand a little tighter in yours but you know that won't keep the inevitable from taking place at the end of summer.

Still, when she curled herself around you that night, when she lay her head against your collarbone and you breathed in the mild June air and her vanilla shampoo, you had to remind yourself that four years in two separate states at practically opposite ends of the country would be too hard for the both of you.

You had to repeat it like a mantra, otherwise you couldn't convince yourself of its validity: it's for the best, it's for the best, it's for the best.

—

It takes a really (really) badly-timed epiphany to spur you into action but come August - _as she gathers her luggage _because it couldn't have hit you any later than 'hello, she's boarding her plane, fool'_,_ your heart begins to thrum madly in your chest and you remember you're only your very best when you're with her.

Having said goodbye to your ragtag group of friends who've gathered in some sort of support semi-circle around you, Tina turns towards the terminal. She'd kissed your cheek softly, held your hands in hers, eyes downcast the entire time. Mercedes, Quinn, Rachel - pretty much everyone's leering at you as she steps towards the gate and you're pretty sure Puck, in his beat-up truck along the I-10, and Santana and Brittany, lounging on a beach in Cancun, are doing the same thing.

Of course.

"Tina, wait!"

—

On the ride back to Lima, it dawns on you that you should thank Kurt for changing his ringtone to 'Won't Go Home Without You' (suspiciously at the beginning of the summer).

—

You've settled into your dorm and though Finn and Matt are at OSU as well, they're practically at the other end of the campus. Your roommate seems like a cool kid though and there's someone from your jazz band in the same building as you.

You've been sending e-mails back and forth with Tina, Skyping when she's not being shown around the city by her relatives and you feel the urge to kick - or, y'know, wheel over - yourself when you think of how you almost gave her up.

It's been two weeks. It's hard, and you can't believe how much you miss her but you really think you can do this and these thoughts carry you through that first week of unfamiliar looks of pity or general gawking (you're starting to think it's not so much the wheelchair as it is the wardrobe but you're not giving up the sweater vests, dammit).

—

_Who__'s the girl in that picture?_

You attend your first 'college' party in October, some festive Halloween thing that Finn drags you to and you're surprised by how much fun you had. The pictures find their way on Facebook in that magical way embarrassing photos do but you shrug it off; you didn't do anything anymore blush-worthy that you haven't already done since the Push It number in sophomore year.

"I'm... not... really sure, actually. I mean, Finn was the only-"

_So why is she hanging off you like that?_

"Uh, well, she's clearly intoxicated and therefore probably confused me with a mobile balloon fort."

_...Really? You don__'t even have balloons in that picture! I thought you were supposed to be a grape?_ You can't ignore the bite in her voice.

"I was! But everyone popped my balloons. But I mean, I was inspired by your Gaga outfit and it actually looked really cool, didn't you see the other pictures? ...Tee?"

_I__'m going to work now. Bye._

Yeah, she really didn't sound very happy.

—

It kinda bugs you sometimes, that just because Tina lives off-campus and she's decided to try and balance a part-time job as a barista along with her schooling, that she'll breathe down your neck when you go to a party every other weekend.

Really, they're not so much parties as they are informal get-togethers with friends and like-minded peers. It's not like your grades are slipping or anything (except for that one mid-term that you just bombed because you forgot to study for it). It's just cool, that one weekend, a small group of you can spend all night playing WoW and watching back-to-back Battlestar Galactica and the next weekend, you're all getting plastered, trying to get a decent game of Rock Band going.

Everyone's so much more chill in university, like no one actually gives that much of a damn about popularity and it kinda helps that you feel like you've matured. You can actually sense it in yourself and of course, you were like Tina's work-in-progress when you two were in Limal but now you can actually man up and prove it to yourself, and to others.

—

Late in November, you realize what the problem is - you're having the time of your life, your freshman year is really living up to all the expectations you had about it and so much more but over on the West Coast, Tina's shyness is creeping up on her. When you talk over web cam, she looks tired all the time and you ask her about her day, about school, about work but when it comes to people, she just dodges the questions or briefly mentions a classmate's name here and there but there haven't been any pictures or new friends and...

_I__'m probably just bothering you. It's okay, you can go hang out with your friends again._

Oh.

—

"Tina, we don't-why are you doing this? Y-you don't have to-I'll stop whatever it is."

She's _crying _and you wish you could console her, stroke her hair and hold her gently like a normal boyfriend would do for their upset girlfriend but you just can't because you're over two thousand miles away.

_It__'s not you, you didn't do anything wrong. That's the problem, Artie. You're-I feel like I'm holding you back. I don't want to do that, I never want to do that to you. I want you to be happy. We should've just stuck to the plan. I'm so sorry._

You don't understand. You'd both gone back to Lima for Christmas break. You spent an amazing two weeks together, practically attached at the... well, she had to sit on your lap for the most part but you two spent as much time as humanly possible together in those two weeks. Sure, she was a bit withdrawn around everybody but even after returning to school, she seemed her normal, cheerful and spunky self, at least for a few days.

And now, this?

"Tee, why won't you just tell me what's wrong?"

She hangs up the phone with a gentle click.

—

This is... depressing. You can't believe how much you miss her. It's been two weeks since you two have communicated directly and even though it's reassuring to see her Twitter updates and her constant stream of Tumblr posts (most of which have turned into reblogs of hipster graphics with melancholy lyrics on them), it just isn't the same.

The only reason you hadn't tried to call her back yet was because you went through a phase of being angry at her, not unlike the time she'd admitted to her stutter. How could she say it wasn't your fault yet make you feel guilty for spending time with your friends? Is it such a sin that you're actually doing fairly well in your first year at school? You didn't even do anything objective this time, that was so highschool!

But it's not just that, you know it isn't and as your finger hovers over the call button for the umpteenth time, you wonder if there was anything you could've done to prevent this.

—

All this 'are we together, are we not' business is making your head hurt.

All this 'maybe she has depression like what your mom was saying' business is making your heart hurt.

—

So technically speaking, you're not together but neither of you actually outright said 'it's quits', 'we're done', 'finito' or 'so yesterday'. Although, y'know, still technically speaking, you two never actually had the 'will you be my girlfriend - yes, take me, you incredible stud!' conversation either.

That's not how you two roll, alright?

"It's like the end of an era, man."

You glance at Mike over the rim of your coffee cup, bloodshot eyes as you wait for Matt to come down from his building to start your relatively short, long-weekend trek back to Lima. Finn left the night before to surprise Rachel in New York so it's going to be a fairly quiet affair.

"You two were like, really good for each other, y'know?"

The statement catches you off-guard because most people wouldn't word it in such a way. Still, you counter with a dry smirk:

"Are you sure that's coffee in there?"

"Dude. Do you even remember what you two were mad about?"

You open your mouth to protest but before anything can come out, you're hit with that crazy wave of wonderment all over again. Like when you used to clean the slushie drips off your glasses and you could see the world with the clarity that a good pair of high-index lenses provided once more.

"Not so smart, you are. An idiot you are, hrm, young padawan?"

You scowl at him. He grins back.

Stupid Mike.

—

It's funny, somewhat; the last time you held a stack of papers this big, it was when Tina looked up all that stuff about spinal cord treatments.

The date is February 14th.

—

"Tina?"

_Hi Artie. It__'s good to... Um, how are you?_

"...I'm good. How are you?"

_I__'m okay. A little stressed but it's manageable._

"Look, Tee - I'm cutting to the chase here. Can't we... I miss you. Really miss you. And I want to help you."

_Help me with what?_

Not only is she defensive but you can already imagine the tears forming in her eyes.

"With whatever's bothering you. Tee, there isn't another girl out there that I want to make smile more than you."

The other line is silent for a long while and you try and remember if you said anything in the last two minutes that even constituted as offensive or unnecessarily blunt. Finally, she sighs - a broken, little girl sigh.

_Artie...I don__'t know what's going on with me. All I ever want to do when I'm not at work or school is lie in bed and watch Skins and not touch my homework._

"It's okay, that's how I spend my weekends! Except not watching Skins. Usually it's bein' a G and performing my slam poetry."

Tina laughs weakly but you swear it's the best sound you've heard all year.

"But you know girl, my verses are pretty uninspired lately..."

—

You talk for hours. Which is probably a bad thing because you've got an exam the next day but, of course, it's worth it. It always is.

—

June rolls around and you feel like the only solution to passing classes - which for you and your better-than-you-suckaz standard is at the very least, a 3.8 GPA - is to sing a song. Seriously.

_Artie, what am I clicking here? My dad says links with the word __'epic' in it are 75% more likely to be a virus or a trojan._

But she clicks it anyway and you're so glad you decided to send it to her through Skype because the faces that she makes as she watches your final Theatre assignment are _priceless_. Who knew you could corral people so easily into participating in a boy band medley?

It goes viral within a few days.

—

Finn's grinning like a maniac in the front wheel despite the fact that Mike and Matt just passed you guys along the highway. For some reason - mostly because it's Lima and who the heck looks forward to going back to Lima? - you're all ecstatic to be heading back home. You miss your family, your house, Mr. Schue, that coffee place you frequented wearing a turtleneck and a beret...

But what you're looking forward to the most?

_1 msg from: __**Tee-shizzle **_

_I'm home!_


	2. Part II

AN : Ack, I've been so busy. I have a final installment which I shall try my hardest to post before that clock turns 12 am tonight because I really, really don't want to be late (even though by posting standards, this already kinda is). Thanks for reviewing you guys, it means a lot!

* * *

**The Heart Grows Fonder**

(Part II – Tina)

If they be two, they are two so  
As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show

To move, but doth, if th' other do.

**A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, John Donne**

—

You're love-hate relationship with the rain is rendered moot in Seattle. You don't really have a choice.

It's September and what with global warming making the weather crazy, you're forced to go out and buy a new pair of combat boots to replace your 'squishies' - the Facebook update which gets you two likes (one from Artie, one from a classmate) and a snarky comment from Kurt about at least having a legitimate excuse for wearing them now.

You miss your friends, so much.

—

Some days are worse than others but generally speaking, you're heart doesn't feel like bursting from the loneliness (hopelessness) that clouds over your brain, takes over your body, the way it had done last year.

You read about long-distance relationships online, the trials, the tribulations but you've got faith in Artie and yourself and you make a pact that you won't let yourself slip off into that deep, dark place again. For Artie's sake as much as for yours because you want to show him how much he's helped - you only ever want to show him that because even though everyone thinks he's the one relying on you, you want the world to see that you need him so much more.

—

You know he's trying but Artie's a little busier this quarter, unlike your own, so you occupy yourself with work and you convince your boss that holding a weekly open mic night would benefit the quaint little neighborhood coffee shop you work in. That's how you meet Elsie, Aga and Russell and your heart grows to accommodate these new friends.

It's definitely not Glee club and it's more like the Breakfast Club more than anything but they understand that you're introverted, not anti-social, and you understand their quirks as well and you mentally thank Mr. Schuester for banding you crazy lot back then because Glee club's little society was like practice for the real world.

—

You don't believe your eyes when you jog up the stairs from your basement suite one crisp November morning and Noah Puckerman is leaning against his truck like some T-Birds reject. It literally looks as if he'd planned to pick you up for an outing that day when you hadn't actually seen or heard from him in almost four months.

(Who the heck does that arms crossed, back lean in real life?)

"Sup Asian," he grins and you're overcome with the insatiable urge to turn heel and crawl back under your blanket.

—

_I mean, it's weird - really weird - and I know he's not your favorite person in the world but Finn says he's in bad shape since Quinn rejected him in September._

"Right, I remember that, Mercedes was keeping me updated on the Quick-y Crisis. But this is just-."

_Yeah._ _But he's trying to find his sound and since LA didn't work out for him, I told him about Seattle and now he wants to see what the music scene is like there. I already had the bro code speech with him so he says he won't try anything- _

You hear Puck in the den, his laughter drowning out Family Guy for a few seconds but your thoughts meander to just how close you all grew up to be, the old Glee Club, you feel a pull at your heartstrings. If even Artie, who had the least amount of trust to place in people after his accident and the years following (including Stuttergate), could grow to be so compassionate to Puck of all people, then you had no place to judge. And in your eyes, your respect and admiration for Artie grew a thousandfold all over again.

_-and maybe you can help smarten him up a bit?_

"Is that permission for me to kick his ass?" You quip with an unladylike snort which makes Artie smile fondly at you from your computer screen. "He said it'll only be a few days anyway," you finally amend. "Are you sure you're okay with this though? I don't mind making him sleep in my cousin's treehouse."

But Artie just shakes his head ruefully and you know despite those years of slushie facials and throwing your boyfriend's wheelchair off the roof, you've both forgiven Puck for his douchiness.

Doesn't mean you never get the urge to smack him upside the head though.

—

See, Rachel and Finn are pretty lucky in that despite being far enough from each other to be considered 'long distance', they still get the chance to see each other on a regular enough basis. And that certain, um, needs are met . Artie brings it up once in a while but for the most part, you've both come to a begrudging acknowledgement that some things aren't meant to be, and for you two, it's an active sex life.

You're initially suspicious then, when Rachel asks whether you do anything to relieve tension between Artie and yourself. You promptly choke on your mint patty when she asks if you've ever tried a sexy webcam show.

"It's quite empowering," she types and you're just glad your laptop doesn't combust from this entire conversation even existing in your harddrive.

But the seed is planted and you pop by Victoria's Secret later that week.

—

You had it all planned out. You ask him if his roommate's around. He says no but he notices the way you let your hair uncoil from its bun, the way you bite your bottom lip coyly, and then you do a Baywatch hair flip and you know you've got his undivided attention. As you begin to slip the shirt over your head, you suddenly hear a ruckus that isn't a) Artie's garbled noises of pleasure and b) Artie's sighs of 'daaaaayum'.

_Hey buddy, do you know what-WOAH._

_Finn! Don't you knoc-!_

_Yo, dude, I was just out-AHH!_

_Matt, what the hell, both of you get out!_

While this is happening on Artie's side of the monitor, you hurriedly try to pull the shirt back down but it seems to be stuck and when you finally manage to squirm your arms out of the tangled sleeves, Puck is smirking down at you with your top balled up in his hand. Where the hell did he come from?

"Puck, give me my shirt back!"

"I'm just helpin' a brother out, Cohen. Nice bra, by the way." Puck makes a thumbs up in the direction of your laptop and you lunge for your shirt again.

_DUDE, BRO CODE. Not cool Puckerman!_

_-That was Tina! Uh, I didn't see Tina in her underwear just now._

Puck begins laughing like nobody's business but he holds out the shirt to you and you know he's just messing with you and why, _why_ didn't you lock your bedroom door? Or wear a different shirt? You're mortified beyond belief. The last thing you remember hearing before you slam your laptop shut and aim a swift punch at Puck's nose is Finn's hesitant voice stating:

"Rachel usually pretends she forgot the camera was on..."

—

...Maybe you can laugh about this in the future.

—

Or maybe you can't.

It's been two weeks and Puck still hasn't moved out. He left an envelope of money on your dining table a few days ago which you tried to return and he promptly snuck back into your wallet so you just let it be. It's kind of pleasant, having company to come home to and when Puck is laying on your couch, eating his third bowl of Fruity Pebbles, you wonder idly what kind of meals Artie will cook when you two live together.

You know he's getting a little stressed from his workload but it's like Artie in sophomore year all over again. He makes biting remarks about anything, on the off-chance you do get to speak to each other and Puck had to literally shake you back to your senses when you didn't hear from him for two whole days.

"Artie, what did I do?"

He sighs into the phone and you curl your fingers so hard around yours, you accidentally press a button and you have to apologize for doing it.

_Tina, your friends met Puck before I did._

"But... he wanted to play at Open Mic Night, and they're always there. I couldn't really pretend I didn't know him but that's beside the point. It doesn't matter, they know who you are, you're my boyfriend and-."

_I'm not jealous,_ he starts but you think otherwise because his voice has taken on a bitter tone. _It's just that I thought he was only going to be there a short while and now he practically lives there and everyone probably assumes you two are doing it-_

"Artie!"

_-and everyone's going to think I'm just this-this thing that you're stringing along. Everyone's gonna compare me to him because he's the 'other man'-_

"But he's not! And you know that!"

_Do I?_

You're stunned to silence and you blink a few times in shock even though you know he can't see it. He's never, you thought he'd never accuse you of _cheating_ on him.

_It just feels like the summer before Junior Year_, he states quietly, bringing up the time Mike and you started dating.

"I can't believe you," you seethe and you hang up the phone with a slam.

—

Artie doesn't call that evening but he apologizes the next morning over the phone. He admits he's feeling insecure about you getting used to someone who can move around and do things for you in a household. You don't bring up talk of living together for a while but you give Puck a look across the dining table during the six o'clock news on Saturday and he gruffly makes an excuse about not wanting to be the next Cobain as he gets in his truck the next day.

He gives your cheek a chaste kiss as a thanks for the hospitality and that's truly, honestly the only kiss you two ever exchanged during his stay there.

—

There's a short time-frame over the Winter break in which everyone is at Lima so a reunion is called forth at the Berry residence. It's pretty great to see everyone again, the periodical get-togethers really do wonders for you, even if you still feel like you're walking on eggshells around Artie because Noah's bound to show up sometime.

When Puck enters the room, the first thing Artie does is wheel towards him, promptly run over his foot and then pull him down into a headlock. It all happens so fast, no one actually sees how it takes place, they just hear the 'OW' and the subsequent grunting of the former jock with his head trapped under Artie's armpit.

"That's for the shirt thing," he shouts right into Puck's ear before he calmly pushes him to the ground and goes back into the kitchen where Quinn, Mercedes and Kurt follow him to try and pry some information. Finn and Matt stand around looking everywhere but at you and Mike, Santana and Brittany exchange confused looks.

You blame Rachel.

—

You're convinced that your respective schools' are purposefully exchanging schedules to make sure Artie and you are never freed up in the same quarter. So you both find off-beat ways of entertaining each other to pass the time until Spring Break when he's promised to fly out to see you, at which time you'll be meeting up with Mike, Brittany and Quinn and the five of you will head down for a Californian road trip.

Riding on his fifteen minutes of Youtube fame from last summer, he starts a personal project chronicling daily dorm life with his buddies in a highly dramatized web series that strongly reminds you of his Run Joey Run video. It cracks you up but you tell him he needs an Asian Vampire to make it perfect. A few days later, Part IV is uploaded and it features a cameo by who else but one Mike Chang. And you have no doubt in your mind, Artie's definitely going places with his art.

Two days later, he calls you while you're at work and at first you think it's an emergency because he knows you've only just started but he's thrilled.

_The Tina!Bear Care Package? Tee, this is awesome! The cookies are amazing and where'd you get all this stuff? The book, the mix Cd... yeah, but like, this pullover is seriously sick, it's like it was made for me!_

"It... it was," you say, all at once shy. "It was supposed to be a Christmas present but I couldn't finish it in time. And the left shoulder hole is a little smaller than the right one and-."

You stop talking because Artie makes a noise between a sob and a choke.

_Tee, seriously? It's perfect, I love you so much. You know I've always wanted knitwear that says Big Pimpin' on it! _

You don't have the heart to tell him you pulled a Phoebe and the cookies are actually from refrigerated Pillsbury dough.

—

Elsie and Aga are present when Kurt calls you the next day and starts crying hellfire and brimstone at you after Artie updates his profile picture, sporting the sweater. They're rightfully terrified of continuing plans to visit New York with you after that incident.

—

The Pacific Coast Highway clears your mind, clears your head, clears your soul. You sound like a total hippie but as the wind whips your hair about your face, and you pull down your sunglasses and grin lazily at Artie seated beside you, you've never felt more at one with yourself. Quinn is quiet in the passenger's seat, Mike's humming to the song on the radio and Brittany is dozing behind you guys but the silence isn't awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, it's quite the opposite. You kind of understand why Mike still refuses to tie himself down to school despite his traditional parents' protest.

Brittany wakes up just then, grinning like a cat when she points out a scenic lookout sign.

It's a beautiful moment, when you're all standing together gazing out at the sea below but when Artie slips his fingers between yours, you think of how odd and lucky it is that you've found your soulmate before the week of soul-searching even came to fruition.

—

April, May, June.

The last months always run into each other. You're panicking about final exams and news that your mom and dad are thinking of moving to Toronto - yeah, _Canada _- which kind of affects how your summers will go from there on out. Artie's up to his shoulders in assignments and projects but a few days before the first of your exams, he shoots off an e-mail that momentarily makes you forget all about your stress.

_To: __xxtriple_c  
From: rocketman94 _

_Sup girl!_

_I know I've kinda been all over the place lately but I have two seconds to breathe so I wanted to say hi!_

_I'll call you later as usual but I might not be able to talk much because the studio will only be open until 10 pm tonight and I have to finish my write-ups by tomorrow. I just wanted to check-in and say I love you!_

_Holla atcha boy!_

_Artie_

_PS - The picture attached if FYEO - for your eyes only. _

—

Two weeks. Two more weeks and you are going to ravage that man.


	3. Part III

**AN** : Embarrassment! I didn't realize FF had chopped up the formatting on the last chapter because I was in such a rush to post before my class finished and I had to run to work. Woe is the life of a commuting student. And this final part is late and that makes me sad but sometimes real life trumps fandom, and this is just one of those unfortunate weeks. My sincerest apologies prompter and readers!

Thanks to everyone once again for the comments and general love. Thanks to **rjjg14** for the fun prompt. Thanks to all the writers who participated, the influx of Tina/Artie fics was amazing and finally, thanks to **troubadette** for organizing Artinathon 2010!

* * *

**The Heart Grows Fonder**

(Part Three - Artie)

_Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, _  
_This close-companioned inarticulate hour _  
_When twofold silence was the song of love._

**_Silent Noon, Dante Gabriel Rossetti_**

—

_Two years later..._

You both graduate in June, your commencements within two days of each other but you're so grateful and so honoured that Tina, exhausted as she was, still grinned proudly up at you as you accepted your degree without a sign of fatigue - only love and support.

The promise ring you gave her when she turned eighteen glints as it catches the sun where she stands by your family and laughs over something your dad says.

You think its high time you got her something shinier.

—

First year was tough.

Second year was ridiculous.

Every year has had its challenges, and third and fourth were no exception.

In that time, you two went through another split in which you both ended up seeing other people. But when you received your promise ring in the mail, you snapped out of it and promptly flew out to win back your woman. You think it should be weirder that Quinn only smiled knowingly when you announced you had to fly to Tina and from what Puck told you, he just felt emasculated all the time because she always just cried after sex - the comment which earns him a broken toe.

And now you two are actually living together.

It's odd, in he best way, co-habitating after spending four years apart. There are some things that you know you have to work on, adjust to as you both try and synchronize with each other the way you used to in high school but you know you can do it, because that's the reason you two got on so well in the first place. And god, you love her so much, you two have been through so much.

There really isn't anyone else for you (so she'd better get used to your snoring).

—

One morning, you wake up to the ceaseless chirping of the 4 am birds - it's like they know you've been suffering from sleep deprivation ever since the move to Chicago.

There's a shift beside you and then you hear a small mewl that you find unnervingly sexy for so early in the morning as Tina arches her back in a stretch.

"Morning sunshine," she greets you, her dark eyes fluttering sleepily as she then snuggles further under the duvet. There's a noticeable space between your bodies but beneath the covers are clasped hands which she brings up to her lips to press a soft kiss upon. You return the favor and she blushes, smiles shyly across the way and you can't even begin to put how you feel into words.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Tina clears her throat and glances up at you with a curious look in her eyes.

"You know how I was playing your guitar yesterday?" She asks softly, and you nod your head at the recent memory of Tina rustling through your tabs for a new therapy study she's trying at the clinic where she's interning.

"I found an application form for Tisch," she finishes. You blink up at the ceiling thoughtfully and then you answer as you pull yourself into a slight sitting position.

"I almost forgot about that," you start to say but her hand tightens around yours and she gives you a pointed look.

See, it's around third year that you realize you don't necessarily need to go to grad school. You were offered a place at a few up-and-coming indie production companies around Columbus and you're not supposed to let opportunities like that go but after the incident with Tina, you realize you have priorities to straighten out first. And honestly? You're ready to move past Ohio. New York would be awesome but you don't actually see yourself living there, in the same way Tina said she couldn't imagine living in Seattle despite how much she flourished on the West Coast.

So, Illinois it is. It's only one state over but hey, baby steps.

"Tina, it's fine. I like where I am right now, where we are." Her hand loosens around yours and after a moment, she nods slowly and begins to close the gap between you two, arms slinging around your stomach. You kiss the top of her head and you're both silent again for a few seconds.

"Of course," she starts airily, "you should like where you are right now; you're in bed with a gorgeous lady wrapped around you."

You laugh in spite of yourself.

"The compromising position we are in has nothing to do with it, woman!"

"But I'm sure it helps?"

You begin to smirk. "Depends whether the gorgeous lady is going back to sleep or-."

"I like you so much better when you're sleeping," she states with mock exasperation but her fingers are already crawling under your shirt and you can feel the grin lingering on her face when you bend your head down to kiss her.

—

You love pillow talk.

* * *

**FIN**


End file.
